The Big Sky Conference tournament continues Wednesday night with a championship showdown between Idaho and Montana at Idaho Central Arena in Boise. Both teams have looked excellent in this tournament so far, but only one of them will claim the title and the league's automatic bid to this year's NCAA Tournament. Find out who I think that will be right here, as I make my Idaho vs Montana prediction.
Pick: Idaho -1.5 ATS PRO
Confidence: 3 out of 5
Idaho enters this contest with one of the more productive offenses in the conference, averaging nearly 79 points per game while shooting over 44% from the field. Their recent tournament win against Montana State showed their ability to close out tight games. That performance included timely perimeter shooting and strong ball movement late in the game.
Montana also brings scoring ability, averaging just under 78 points per game while shooting nearly 49% from the floor. Their offensive efficiency has been impressive throughout the season, and they have proven capable of controlling tempo against several conference opponents. Montana’s ability to score efficiently in the half-court has been a key factor in many of its wins.
This matchup also carries some history. Montana defeated Idaho in last year’s conference tournament by a wide margin, so the Vandals will be eager to reverse that outcome. Revenge motivation combined with Idaho’s recent form makes this a fascinating clash between two evenly matched teams.
Montana
Idaho
Stat | Idaho | Montana |
|---|---|---|
Points per game | 78.7 | 77.6 |
Points allowed per game | 72.8 | 74.5 |
Team Field Goal % | 45% | 49% |
Rebounds Per Game | 37.3 | 34.6 |
Assists Per Game | 12.7 | 15.1 |
Score Projection: Idaho 78 – Montana 75 ATS PRO
Win Probability: Idaho 54%, Montana 46% ATS PRO
This Big Sky tournament clash projects as one of the closest games on the board Wednesday night. Both teams feature similar scoring numbers and efficient offenses, which explains why the betting line opened nearly even. I will take Idaho to win this game and cover the spread as a slight favorite, but this one could easily go in either direction.
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